For 25 years, Nettie was the resident culinary instructor at The Big Carrot Natural Foods store in Toronto, Canada. For the vegetarian and flexitarian curious, she also gives classes at Nella Cucina, President’s Choice Cooking School (Loblaws), the LCBO and Nature’s Emporium.

Nettie’s cooking philosophy is that “delicious is a pre-requisite for healthy”. As a busy mother of three, she has extensive experience getting dinner on the table in under 30 minutes. Below are three of her favourite recipes.

Stacked Tortilla & Bean Pie

"This recipe has a spectacular layered presentation and is great for a buffet table. This pie is delicious hot, cold or at room temperature, and it makes great leftovers." —Nettie

Serves 6

Ingredients:

4 whole grain tortillas (10 inch/25 cm each), trimmed

1 Tbsp (15 mL) extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 jalapeno chile, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin

½ tsp (2 mL) sea salt

¼ tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper

19 oz (560 mL) can no-added-salt pinto beans, drained

1 ¼ cups (300 mL) dark beer or water

1 cup (250 mL) frozen corn niblets

1 red pepper, diced

2 cups (500 mL) shredded cheddar cheese

¼ cup (60 mL) thinly sliced fresh chives

Method:

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Using a paring knife, trim the tortillas to fit a 9-inch (23 cm) spring-form pan.

In a large skillet over medium, heat the oil. Add onion, jalapeno, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 6 minutes.

Add the beans and beer to the skillet, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium. Simmer until the liquid has evaporated, about 10–12 minutes. Stir in the corn and red pepper. Remove from heat.

Place tortilla in bottom of the spring-form pan. Layer with a quarter of the beans and ½ cup (125 mL) cheese. Repeat three more times, finishing with cheese on the top layer.

Bake until cheese is melted, about 20 minutes. Unmold the pie; sprinkle with chives. Let stand for 10 minutes to set. Serve sliced into 6 wedges.

Tip:

Spring-form pans are not only for cakes! A spring-form pan is ideal for this tortilla pie as it helps to keep the layers intact without the filling falling out. Turn the bottom of the spring-form pan upside down before assembling the pie, since this side of the bottom has no lip, making it easier to slide the pie off after baking.

Colourful Quinoa Salad

Everyone enjoys this quinoa salad! It’s got a terrific crunch from the nuts and seeds, and peppery flavour from the radishes. Plus, it’s a great way to use both dried fruit and fresh vegetables. It’s a full meal in a bowl! Make a double batch if you’re taking it to a party—it will be a hit. —Nettie

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1/3 cup (75 mL) raw unsalted sunflower seeds

1/3 cup (75 mL) raw unsalted pumpkin seeds

2 cups (500 mL) no-salt-added vegetable broth or water

1 tsp (5 mL) sea salt, divided

1 cup (250 mL) quinoa, rinsed

¼ cup (60 mL) fresh lime juice

¼ cup (60 mL) fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup (75 mL) extra virgin olive oil

1 cup (250 mL) chopped fresh cilantro

½ cup (125 mL) thinly sliced fresh chives

14 oz (410 mL) can no-salt added aduki beans, drained and rinsed

4 radishes, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 carrot, grated

½ cup (125 mL) dried cranberries

Method:

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

Spread the seeds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Toast in the oven for 8 minutes, or until golden brown. Pour them into the bowl and set aside to cool.

In a saucepan over high heat, bring broth, 1/2 tsp (2 mL) of salt and quinoa to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until all of the water has been absorbed. Let stand for 5 minutes and fluff with a fork. Transfer cooked quinoa to a large bowl.

Tip:

Quinoa is naturally coated with a bitter substance called saponin, which protects it from birds and critters. Rinse off the saponin to remove the bitter taste. Use a fine mesh strainer to rinse your quinoa; it will fall through the holes in a regular strainer. Hold under cold running water for 3 minutes or until there are no more bubbles and the water runs clear.

Spice-Roasted Chickpeas

Roasted chickpeas are so addictive and are a perfect snack or appetizer when combined with nuts and seeds. The reason we specifically recommend kosher salt in this recipe is because its coarse texture will add more of a crunch than the fine granules found in fine sea salt. This is a snack food, after all—you want to taste some salt! —Cara

Serves 6

Ingredients

14 oz (410 mL) can no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed and drained

¼ cup (60 mL) extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin

1 tsp (5 mL) paprika

1 tsp (5 mL) kosher salt

½ tsp (2 mL) freshly ground black pepper

1 cup (250 mL) raw unsalted almonds, halved

¼ cup (60 mL) raw unsalted sunflower seeds

¼ cup (60 mL) raw unsalted pumpkin seeds

Method

Preheat the oven to 400°F

In a medium bowl, combine the chickpeas, oil, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast for about 30 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Add the almonds, stir and roast for another 10 minutes. Add sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Roast for 5–10 more minutes until brown and crisp. Remove from oven and pour into a medium-sized bowl. Season with extra salt, if needed, and serve immediately.